Mirror Images
by Triaxx2
Summary: While the Justice League deals with various crises, and internal issues, dopplegangers begin to appear, but can they be stopped before they replace the league? FINISHED?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:I don't own anything but my OC's as always. This continues the storylines from Galatea, and Ultimen, and contains some spoilers for both if you haven't seen them. Has been split into two parts, for various reasons. A little shorter than most of my stuff, but it'll come together.

---

"What is that thing?" Superman asked.

"Why are you asking me?" I queried him. He gave me one of those looks of his. You know the kind of looks that say things to you.

"Because it's flinging lightning." Steel commented.

"So?" I asked. The mask on his head stared me in the face. "Oh." I snickered, unable to help myself. "It's a lightning golem. Just ground it out." I told them.

"Thanks." Superman commented. The two flew to the telepad, and vanished. I turned back to the console. With J'onn having the day off, and Kara visiting the Kents, I had volunteered to co-ordinate for the day. It wasn't such a difficult job I found. Being able to keep straight six hundred thousand plus years of memories, made keeping track of where everyone was a simple thing. It also have me a chance to practive. Some of the human technicians glared at me, but I ignored them.

"Do you have to do that?" It was Wonderwoman. She was almost as unnerving as the Bat. Of course, since they were now married, it was to be expected.

"Yes, I do." I replied. "Do you practice with your lasso? Of course." I smiled. She just rolled her eyes. "Something you need, sister dear." Her mother had, after I sobered, told me that standing up for her like I had, made me family.

"Don't call me that." She snorted. "It appears that my launch clearance has been temporarily revoked." She leveled a glare at me. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" She asked.

"Just that I can fix it." I settled the five flaming balls in the air, and turned to the console. A few button taps, isolated the problem. Someone was playing on the internet, and caught a virus. Judging from the low quality of the porn, I guessed it was Longshadow. Didn't matter. The virus had corrupted the file containing the launch permissions. I tapped two buttons, restoring it to a backup, and removing the virus. "There, all better." I smiled. She shook her head, and laughed.

"Thank you." She kissed my cheek, and walked away. No, I correted myself. She's far creepier than the bat.

---

Kara Kent aka, Supergirl, sighed. Johnathon Kent continued talking about Clark and Lois. It appearently had yet to sink in that she had told him she was getting married shortly. Or he'd simply chosen to ignore that fact. She didn't want to think badly of him, but...

"Pa?" She caught a break in the conversation. "You did hear me? Didn't you?" She asked, a bit firmer than she'd intended.

"Hear what honey?" He asked.

"That Adam proposed?" She replied. He nodded. "And that I said yes?" He nodded again. "And you say?" She prompted.

"Nothing. You're a big girl, and and if you said yes, he's obviously worthy of you." Something wasn't right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Unless...

"You're planning to throw a surprise party!" She squealed with delight, as he nodded, sighing.

"You're far too smart missy. Don't tell Martha, and act surprised." He wave a finger under her nose. She nipped playfully on it.

"Don't I always?" She grinned. He gave her a level look, inspiring another laugh. "Alright, I'll do my best." She grinned again.

---

S.T.A.R. Labs

"I'm sorry ma'am." Hamilton shook his head, facing the video phone. "We were unable to stabilize the DNA."

"Then continue with the back up plan." Waller replied. "We can't fail." He nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am." He saluted. The call ended. "Bitch." He snarled, giving the dead terminal the finger. He spun around, and stomped back into the bowels of the lab.

---

Batcave...

"I hope Diana likes this gift." Bruce muttered. Alfred smiled.

"Of course she will master Bruce. After all, you did make it yourself." He pointed out. Bruce glanced at him.

"She didn't like the personalized Batarangs." He replied.

"You used her civilian name, sir." Alfred replied, with a quiet, long suffering sigh. "It does make it hard to use them without giving away certain things. Perhaps a set of them for Wonder Woman?" Alfred suggested. Bruce smiled.

"I'll bet she'd love that." He smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Jez: 1) It doesn't figure in later in the story, it just occured when I started writing. So I didn't think it was worth the effort. 2) True, but Diana is married to Bruce Wayne, and Wonder Woman to Batman. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make the connection, if Diana Wayne is using Batarangs. Or if Wonder Woman's Batarangs, are marked Diana. Her identity might not be a secret, but his is. 3) It's only meant to be a taste of things to come. Enough to hook you, and make you want more.

---

Deep in the Amazon, a pair of eyes opened. Chi'ambi's eyes, one blue, the other green. Something in the back of his mind called him awake. At first, he wasn't sure what it was that called him. He only knew he had to go. Wind swept the field, as he headed north, towards Gotham City. He knew, that if he needed to contact the league, Shayera had told him to go there, and ask James Gordon to call Batman.

He hoped her information was still current. He'd heard from her of course, but she hadn't mentioned anything about contacting her, except returning her letters. Right now he knew he didn't have enough time, though why he wasn't quite sure.

---

Kara grinned. The party was in full swing, including dancing and surprisingly, strippers. She'd been shocked to find out they were Martha's idea. She'd always considered her more conservative, than just about anyone else she knew. Even the normally shy Shayera Hol Stewart, could occasionally be persuaded into a swimsuit. Due to her wings it was always a bikini, which made John, and usually whoever was along, terribly happy. With Kara's blessing, Adam no longer tried to hide the fact. She'd told him he was terrible at it, which was the truth, since he blushed ever time he looked at her. Probably embarrassed about it, and not wanting to upset her. She smiled. He'd told her she was the only woman he ever wanted. Then he'd proven it. Repeatedly.

"So, where did you get strippers on such short notice?" Kara asked Martha. The other grinned.

"Wasn't hard. Don't you know them?" She asked, a touch smugly.

"No, I..." Kara gasped. "You didn't." They were former classmates.

"Why not?" Martha grinned. "Most of them confessed having crushes on you, but couldn't work up the courage to say anything. This way they get to flaunt it, with speaking to you." She smiled. Kara stared at her.

"Are you serious?" She asked. Martha nodded. "Wow." She grinned.

"Told you that you were popular." Martha grinned.

---

Have I ever before mentioned that slamming into walls gets old? A fist to the face isn't exactly a fresh experience either though. Being hit by a woman? Even one as ugly as this one, that one never gets old.

"How in hell dare you call me ugly?" Harley screamed.

"Have you looked in a mirror, ever?" I asked.

"You!" She charged, swinging a baseball bat at my head. I lifted my arm to paralyze her, but a silver-white energy blast smashed into her, sending her crashing to the ground. I knew instantly something was wrong. The energy signature was the same as the Lantern Rings. As far as I knew that wasn't possible.

I spun in time to see, possibly the single gaudiest hero ever. An almost exact physical match for John. Even the costume, emblazoned with a purple and white logo, that was an exact copy of the lantern. Behind him came a blue haired Wonder Woman knock off, and a dark blue armored Bat-clone. I was pretty sure that was a copyright violation.

"Stand aside citizen. We will handle this criminal!" The purple tie-dye advertisement told me. That just pissed me off.

"Sorry, this bail jumper is mind." I replied. A hammer blow crashed into my back, and I hit the ground, passing out cold.

---

Vixen rolled over in her sleep, moaning in fear and pain. Beside her, the man she'd met the night before, shook her shoulder.

"Hey, wake up!" He call, but she seemed out of it. "I'd better..." He stopped, as her hand gripped his throat, and started to squeeze. He was saved by the League emergency evacuation system. The transporter drew her up to the watch tower, before she could kill him. He gasped for air for a few moments after she'd gone.

---

"Vixen, you are safe in your room in the tower, untouchable, and protected. You will awaken in three, two, one." J'onn snapped his fingers.

Vixen's eyes burst open wide, pupils dilated. Booster stared. "What happened to her?"

"It appears to be a similar reaction to Kara's." J'onn replied.

"So the dilation..." He reasoned. J'onn nodded.

"Is why Kara's heat vision was burning holes in her ceiling." He confirmed. There was an almost audible snap, as Vixen returned to reality.

"Oh god." She screamed, clutching at the blankets, as she sat bolt upright. "I... didn't..." She shuddered. At the same moment, the door slid open, revealing Adam standing there, an ice pack pressed to his head.

"I think we have a minor problem." He winced.

---

Clark Kent laughed. David Kent, his and Lois' young son, was floating just out of the latter's reach. Clark had in fact wondered how his son could fly, when he hadn't gained use of his powers for years. The best anyone could tell, was that it was a combination of being half-human, and an earth native. That was what was causing his powers to occur earlier.

"It's not funny." Lois commented. "Can you talk him down?" She asked. Clark nodded.

"Alright David, that's enough." He said sternly. "Time to come down, and let mommy give you a bath." The toddler sank down into Lois waiting arms. "Good boy." Clark grinned.

"You're.. Clark?!" His heat vision flashed through the wall, splitting a painting cleanly through the middle. He found himself unable to do anything except look straight up. Lois slammed a button on the wall. It flared to life.

"What?" Fire asked.

"Superman, err, Clark, he's lost control of his heat vision. I need some help." Lois replied, on the edge of panicking.

"Hang on, I'm coming." The wall flashed off, and there was a flash of light, as she appeared in the center of the room. "Heat." Her powers flared to life, and his vision seemed to bend towards her, before vanishing completely.

"How?" Clark wanted to know, staring at her.

"I can control fire, and it's associated heat." She answered, panting with effort. "I'm drawing off the heat your vision requires to work. I don't know how long I can keep this up though."

---

Flying over the power plant, attempting to contain the fire, Lantern would have never considered, that off a fresh recharge, that he'd have power problems. He was very glad Shayera was with him when he lost all his energy suddenly. He fell towards a hot spot, but she swept in, and cut across his path, catching him.

"Boy you're handy to have around. Now I remember why I keep you around." He grinned.

"We sincerely hope that's not the only reason." She replied with a laugh.

"Of course not." He laughed. "I wonder what happened?"

"Don't know but I think we'd better get home though." She offered. "I'll contact... John look!" She pointed. "Incoming." Two figures, one glowing, the other racing low, approached. The glowing one touched down, blue and gold, wrapped, with seemingly no personality whatsoever. The other seemed to be a red suited version of Zatanna. Wind and water sprayed from her hands, dampening, and choking the fire. The other man lifted into the air, the fire seemed to bend and die, as he drew breath, and ice formed as he exhaled.

"What is going on?" John asked.

"I don't know John. I just don't know." Shayera replied. "J'onn, get us up." They vanished in flare of light.

---

"I'm sorry madam. Even with the system at full strength, the pattern will not hold past twenty-one weeks." Hamilton reported. "It is my opinion that: First, there is something required that we don't have. Second, I recommend that we skip this one. It's unimportant, and it's powers are duplicated elsewhere, much simpler."

"I hate to miss one, but if you're sure, that he won't be missed." The woman on the other end replied.

"The world hardly know's he exists. I assure you, no one will comment." Hamilton nodded.

"Excellent, Reactivate Galatea. It's time to begin." Waller informed him. He nodded.

---

In the center of the universe, the rod pulsed twice.


	3. Chapter 3

Oneredneckgoddess: Yeah, the proposal happened between stories. As for clearing the confusion, don't expect that to happen until the end of the second one. Here's the next chapter.

---

Kara woke sweating, something she hadn't done since Galatea. The ceiling had once more two holes in it. She reached for her robe, and slung it around her shoulders. She moved out the door floating down the hall. Mr. Freckles, the cat Adam had given her, sat on the top stair, in full bobcat form, growling softly. She gasped when she saw at what.

"Hello, sister dear." Galatea grinned. "I'd say it's time to finish our fight." She lunged up the stairs, to find herself face to face with the cat. "Mo... AH!" Mr. Freckles slashed her arm with razor edged claws, opening it, and shedding blood on the stairs. She swung at him, but Kara hit her first. She rocked back from the blow, and caught the next. "Uh uh." She waggled a finger, and punched back. Kara reeled back, and robe flying open. She hit the ground, and held up a hand.

"Give me a sec?" She asked. Tea nodded.

"Fine, I can kill you no matter what you're wearing." She waved. Kara vanished, and reappeared, clothed in her costume. " Ready?" A crashing blow answered. She leaned away from the blow, lessening it as much as possible. A kick to the face answered the initial attack, and she followed with a hammer blow to Supergirl's head. The other caught her arm, pulled, and tossed her out the wall.

"Not so fast!" Kara screamed. "Freckles, find Ma and Pa." Sh ordered the feline, and he vanished. She raced out the hole in the wall after Tea, only to be hit with a blast of heat vision from the side. She retaliated with a chest level blast of her own. Tea slammed into the ground, at the same instant Kara did. Both looked up to see identical white aura's in the sky.

"Look's like help has arrived." They pointed over each other's shoulders, and spoke the same words at the same instant. From behind Tea, landed Dr. Light, and Green Arrow. Behind Kara, landed the dopplegangers, mirrors down to the costumes.

"That's freaky." Arrow commented.

"Totally." Kara replied, staring. Tea hit her from behind. Arrow fired an explosive arrow from behind, but an arrow from his doppleganger knocked it away. Light lashed out at her counterpart, and the other met her attack perfectly. Kara kicked out, catching Tea in the face.

---

"I had Harley Quinn cornered, when a hero using the same ring powers as Lantern, broke in. The energy was even the same frequency." I told them.

"That's not possible." Lantern shook his head.

"John? How else can you explain your ring losing power?" Hawkgirl asked. He took a breath, knowing she was right. "Who else?" She asked.

"A clone of Wonder Woman and Batman. Also lovers it appears." I continued. The two glared.

"It would appear that Kara is not along with a clone." J'onn commented.

"I would seem to have one as well." Superman commented, entering, with Lois, David, and Fire. "Without Fire's aid, I cannot control my heat vision." He informed us. Various gasps, and a shudder passed through the gathered members. "Adam?" Superman spoke.

"Yes?" I answered.

"You once mentioned, that you could block powers. Can you still?" He asked. I started.

"Yeah, sure, heat vision?" I asked, mentally preparing for the block. It was a complex power to block. It would be draining. He nodded. "Hold still." I took a breath, formally intoning the spell in Latin. I could feel the lights dim, as I released the flow of energy into him. He gasped this time, gripping the back of a chair. It wasn't a physical pain, but a mental one. It was also nothing compared to what I was feeling. I the floor, and lost consciousness.

---

"Yes ma'am." Hamilton nodded. "The first wave of clones is up and running. Galatea is currently removing Supergirl from the picture, and the new Lantern has full power." There was a pause as he listened to the cell. "No ma'am, she did not go alone. She took the Light, and Arrow clones as back up." He paused again. "Thirty days ma'am. Then we'll launch the rest of the clones." He nodded, and hung up the phone.

"I hate my job." He commented. The dark haired man smiled.

"Trust me doctor. This is the only way." He laid a hand on the man's shoulder, and walked away.

"I hope so." Hamilton shook his head, and turned back to his computer.

---

"Some people just can't leave us along, can they?" Flash asked.

"Guess not!" Alexia shouted, catching the rifle round, just short of her hear. She laughed. A blast of light crashed from above, followed by Steel, but something was wrong.

"Stand aside citizen." He ordered.

"Steel, it's..." He hit her, or tried to. She slipped sideways, dodging the massive overhand attack.

"I don't think that's our Steel." Flash called. Dancer glared.

"Duh." She replied. The hammer railed over head. She twisted sideways, dodging again. Two wind funnel's crashed into him. He stumbled back, grabbing a chair that was sittting on the beach for support. A wind swept the beach, knocking Dancer down, just as a clone of Hawkgirl swung almost unnoticed at her head. A blast of light crashed down where she'd been standing.

"Let's get 'em!" Flash called, charging the Steel clone.

"Yeah, cause he's got the easy one." Dancer replied, flinging sand in the Hawkgirl clones face. A man appeared beside her. She drew back to hit him, but he threw his hands up in defense.

"Don't, I'm here to help." He yelped. "I'm a friend of Hawkgirl. The real one."

"What do you want?" Dancer asked, winding and launching a smashed ball of sand. It exploded in the face of the clone Lantern, blinding him momentarily.

""To help her. Duck!" He vanished into wind, cutting through the air to sweep it from the under the Hawkgirl clone, causing her to plummet into the ocean. The Steel clone tripped, as Flash wrapped his legs in cable, and yanked.

"Fools, you cannon defeat us!" The Lantern clone yelled.

"But I can!" Hawkgirl screamed. The mace crashed across his jaw. He rolled in air, and the real Lantern with a hard hit in the stomach. Well, he tried to. Sparks flew as the two energy fields collided, and both dropped to the ground. The original, with better experience, rolled as he hit.

---

Vixen sniffed, smelling her own scent in the air. She smiled greedily, and lunged ahead into the forest, followed by B'wana Beast, and Huntress. None of them were sure what, beyond Vixen's clone, lay in the forest. They moved along rapidly, watching for surprises.

They found the clone on the ground, seemingly asleep. As they approached, she lunged into motion, slashing at B'wana Beast. Vixen intercepted her clone, the two smashing into each other, followed by the pair smashing into the ground.

"Should we help?" Huntress asked.

"Nah, I think she's got it." B'wana Beast answered. Vixen did indeed, with one arm around the clone's neck, and the other had the clone's arms pinned behind her.

"Guess so." Huntress smiled. "J'onn, we have the clone. Bring us back up."

"Acknowledged." There was a flare of light, and they were gone.

Two figures slid from the foliage. One blended near invisibly even without the military grade stealth suit. The other was a general. The latter lifted a cell phone.

"The operative is in place. I expect the final phase to be ready in time." He snapped.

''They will be sir." Came Waller's voice. "I personally guarantee it." He nodded.

"Good, we'll have these loose cannons wrapped up, but the end of the week." He smiled, closing the phone. He glanced at the other. "Take me home." The two rose into the air.

---

Sitting in her dressing room, Zatanna wouldn't have expected a visitor. Much less three, particularly not the other league magicians. It was more than just a touch odd. It was down right scary. Adam liked Etrigan. Fate liked Etrigan. The reasons didn't make sense, so she counted it a guy thing. Now while they both liked Etrigan, and the feeling was mostly mutual, as much as Etrigan liked anyone. She'd laughingly noted that Etrigan had taken an unnatural liking to Diana. In any case as much as they liked him, that was only half as much as they detested each other. Only during the Nano-tech alien incursion did she ever hear of them agreeing. Seeing all three together was a shock.

"Zatanna, we need your help." Etrigan spoke, seemingly speaker for the three. "We've been cloned. Fate and I that is. Adam can't be it appears." He told her. "There's a change you have been as well."

"Great, just great." She took a breath. "So what do you need?"

"Just co-operation." Fate answered.

"And a bit of your power." Adam smiled reassuringly. Somehow, she wasn't.


	4. Chapter 4

Two blows landed in quick succession. Kara reeled back, then kicked the laughing clone in the face. She flipped in place in the air, blasting with her heat vision. She only hit the Light clone. With the clone's shield set to counter attack instantly, a blast of power smashed into her, followed by another crashing blow to the chin from Kara. Tea rolled in the air, then yelped, as she smashed into the ground, crushed under Kara's boot heels. She kicked up, wrapping her heels around Kara's waist, pulling her down, off and to the ground.

At the same time, two archers dodged back and forth across the field, taking potshots at each other. Arrows flickered back and forth. An explosive arrow exploded in the air, as a standard one detonated it early. Arrow launched a second one at his clone, which was deflected off the others bow into the ground. He returned fire, with a boxing glove arrow, catching Arrow in the shoulder. He spun around, and fired two arrows this time. The first bounced off the clones bow, and the second pierced his leg. He toppled to the ground, and looked up to see Arrow with a nocked arrow pointing at his face.

"You aren't that fast." Arrow snorted. "I know, because you're my clone, and I'm not that fast." He planted a foot on the clones chest. "Just lay there for the moment."

Light, and her clone, seemed to be unaware of the rest of reality, as blasts flickered back and forth, each absorbing the energy behind the other's attacks, and redirecting it at them. A bit of power left each attack, to restore the attackers reserves. The attacks cycled downwards slowly, at the end of each, replenished with a fresh attack. After the third, Light lashed out not at her clone, but at the ground below the other, sending shards of rock into the air. The clone lashed out in defense, and then flipped in the air, as Light smashed her with an enormous attack. The clone crashed to the ground, followed down by two razor sharp blades of light. A shield of light blocked the killing stroke, and a counter caught the original off guard. She lifted into the air, followed by her clone, then as sharply as she could she snapped in the other direction, driving a blow home to the clone's jaw. Unfortunately for her, the clone had the same idea, so two unconscious warriors fell to the ground.

Kara wasn't about to let Tea win this time, no matter how discouraging the odds might be. As she hit the ground, she dug her arms in, and smashed her heels down into Tea's stomach, kicking her in the face, when she gasped upwards. Tea swore as she hit the ground, and then began to squeeze her legs, attempting paralyze Kara's. The other was waiting for this, slipped her feet under the clones legs, and flipped her into the air, over into the ground. At least, that's what should have happened. Tea caught the ground and fought the flip. She leaned down to blast Kara, but was caught in the face, when Kara had the same idea. She managed to return the blast as she fell, leaving both out as they impacted.

---

The three magicians, and one demon, touched softly to the ground, as they stopped just short of the waters of the River Styx. Justice stood before them, silent, though it was a simple matter to tell that she was watching them, eyes bound or not. Etrigan spoke up.

"We seek the blessing of Justice, to correct a wrong." He spoke clearly. She gave the impression of rolling her eyes.

"The blessing of Justice is granted." She sighed.

"We thank Justice for it's blessing." He replied in turn. The four rose into the air, and followed the river upstream.

"What are we here for?" Zatanna asked. Fate answered.

"The Chalice of Light. Similar to the Holy Grail, it is said to contain the 'Blood of the Universe'." He replied.

"Light is the 'Blood of the Universe'." Adam commented, noting the confusion on her face. "The Chalice holds the last of the light from the Big Bang with in it. There is no purer source of magical energy, anywhere in existence. Even the Well of Forever, and the Eye of the World, are not so mighty."

"It is theorized that there is a significant amount of missing matter in the universe." Fate continued. "In truth, the matter is not missing, but is contained in the form of light in the Chalice." Etrigan took it up.

"By controlling the Chalice of Light, it is possible to control the matter that exists within the universe, and gives the power of creation to it's wielders. It requires no less than four. At least one male, one female, one human, one demon, one being of good, one neutral being, one evil being, and one being to direct it's might. With it, it is possible to shape all of reality. We are going to use it, to one specific end."

"Which is?" She asked.

"To deprive our clones, of our powers. We have these for a reason, by right of birth, or because we were chosen. With them using them, it is a violation of those powers." Fate replied. "They must be stopped. This will do that."

"You aren't considering killing them, are you?" Zatanna asked.

"I had not considered it." Fate replied.

"I have." Adam answered. Etrigan simply snorted.

"Why?" She asked Adam.

"Because I've found, that some times, there is no other way." He looked to the walls, dark now, except for a light created by Fate. "After six hundred thousand years, I've found that when an opponent is persistent, death is the only way to destroy him. I don't believe it will be needed this time. But our powers must not fall, into the wrong hands. Everything is lost if they do." He turned back to face forwards again.

"They couldn't clone you." She pointed out. "Why is that?"

"My DNA is unstable, and without a memory crystal to bond it to, it won't hold together after a certain point." He shrugged.

"Why is it unstable?" She wanted to know, but they reached the end of the river, where it broadened out into a lake. A waterfall, seeming to hang in mid-air, splashed noisily into the right hand side of the lake. It wasn't large, but big enough, that it could hide many things. Etrigan stopped them in the middle of the lake.

"With me: Rings of Light, Sounds of Silver, Darkness old, and Flames of gold. We summon the Sword of Light, the Dark Archers bow. Rise thee now, the Chalice of Light." Etrigan lead the chant, as they floated over the center of the lake. A depression in the green surface formed, until it revealed bare rock, far below. The rock slid aside, and a flare of light made three of them look away. Fate's helm protected him. The light rose, til it settled before them. The stone moved back, and the waters slipped back into place.

"One man." Adam whispered.

"One woman." Zatanna.

"One demon." Etrigan.

"One human." Fate.

"One evil." Etrigan.

"One good." Fate

"One neutral." Adam.

"One to control." Zatanna.

'From slumber you have awoken me. I know your minds, and what you wish to do. Are you sure?' It asked.

"I am." Each answered.

'Then so be it.' Reality seemed to bend, and then it snapped back. They stood once more on the floor of Zatanna's dressing room.

"Did it work?" She asked.

"We can only hope." Fate replied, before leaving. Etrigan disappeared through a hole in the ground, that closed after he was gone. Adam sighed.

"Ever feel left out?" He asked, as he opened the door. Zatanna laughed.

---

"No ma'am. I don't know if they'll be ready, but we can fake it until then." Hamilton reported.

"Good, make it so. The general plans to have this finished by the end of the week, and we need those powers." Waller snapped. Hamilton nodded.

"As you wish." She turned, and walked away, stopping at the door. "Dr. Hamilton? Don't play me. If you aren't serious, you'll wish for death, for a very long time."

"I never would ma'am." He replied. She left. "I intend to make you dead, long before you ever get that chance. Right my dear?"

"Of course father." The clone in the shadows replied. "I'll take care of it right away."

"No." He held up a hand. "You're not quite ready. Your structure is still unstable. A bit more fine tuning, and you'll be invincible." He smiled. "Now, how about a game of chess."

"Sounds delightful." The clone smiled, stepping out of the shadows. She was an amalgamation of several other clones. Tall as Tea, and with her abilities of flight, and heat vision, Superman's strength, and Flash's speed. J'onn's mental powers, shape shifting abilities, and phasing power. On her right hand, settled a ring of similar design to that of the counter Lantern. Her's was designed on a much lower frequency. It didn't have as much power because of that, but... The dark brown hair, and green eyes were from Shayera Hol, though she did not have the wings. Her body had been genetically sculpted after Wonder Woman, but some of the Kryptonian genes had leaked through, giving her a bustier appearance. It wasn't exactly aerodynamic, so her costume had been designed to counter act that. For maximum speed, she flew with her arms back. It gave the same effect as a submarine, or a dolphin. Whether she was faster or slower than the originals, was yet to be seen. He had considered taking a cue from the Ultimen, but after they proved unstable, he'd decided against it.

---

"Don't move." The gun, though now shrunk to the size of an atom, was still not only functional, but also lethal. "We figured you might try something like that, which is why we stunned them when they arrived." Ray Palmer smiled. "Now, we're going to grow, and you're not going to try and run, or I'm going to shoot you. It's that simple." There was a pause from the clone, and he grabbed his belt. The two grew.

"Told you so." Shayera snorted. Lantern, once more in a wheel chair, snorted.

"Lucky guess." He replied. She laughed. Palmer took the clone's belt, as Booster Gold drug him away.

"Amazing, the control circuit is a near duplicate of mine. Look this is an interesting refinement." Palmer walked away, fiddling with the belt.

"Some people, just can't help themselves." Shayera laughed.

"Neither can I." Lantern grinned, pulling her down for a kiss.

---

"So what made you come here?" Diana asked Chi'ambi.

"I do not know, something simply told me that Shayera needed aid. I came to give it if I could." He shrugged. "I am amazed, that you already speak our language."

"It's awfully similar to the greek that the Amazon's speak on Themyscira." She shrugged. "It's close enough that I can understand yours. So, is that the only reason?" She asked, leaning forwards.

"Well..." He trailed off, looking away. "I hadn't seen my blood sister in a long time, so... I also wanted to deliver news to her, that really shouldn't be said in a letter." He smiled. "I have a son." He whispered, smiling.

"Congratulations." Diana grinned. "She'll be happy to hear that."

"Hear what?" Aforementioned winged warrior asked.

"That I have a son." He grinned, standing. Diana excused herself quietly. Hawkgirl grinned, and wrapped him in a hug.

"Did you hear that John?" She asked, leaning back, he nodded. "That's right, you haven't met Deidra." She grinned. "Come on." She led the other two out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Kara touched down gracefully, even considering she was carrying not only Tea, but also both Light, and the Light clone. Arrow, and his clone, were right behind her. The javelin rolled away, the pilot returning it for service. I moved forwards, limping a bit, and took Light from her. She winked at me, as we went.

"I'd kiss you, but I'm almost not sure which you to kiss." I grinned, she gave me a flat stare. "Oh, that you." Fire and Ice appeared, and took Light from me. I took the clone, and slung her more than a bit carelessly over my shoulder. I swirled around, and kissed her, ignoring the clones. She laughed. "Oh, definitely kissed the right one." I grinned.

"I hope so." She managed through the laughter. "Let's put these two away." The cells were designed specifically in case of mental control, for each of the League members, allowing their powers to be dampened so they could be safely contained, until the problem had been dealt with. We switched clones, since the red light would have given Kara problems. After we finished, there was another moment of kissing. Arrow coughed delicately.

"If you two are finished, we should report..." He waved. We giggled. "Brother." He walked past, and we followed.

"So, where's Mr. Freckles?" I asked.

"Back with Martha and Johnathon. I figured he could protect them from any more unscheduled arrivals." She answered. "Tell me, how goes it on Mount Olympus?" She grinned.

"Let's see, Steel's clone got pounded, Hawkgirl's as well, she and Lantern mutilated his, but he got injured. Not entirely sure what happened. Remember Chi?" She nodded. "He's around. They were talking last I saw."

"How did your mission go?" She asked.

"What mission?" I asked.

"The one that gave you that limp." She grunted sweetly. I sighed.

"Oh, that one. See, Zatanna, Fate, and Etrigan and I had to find the Chalice of Light to bend reality to stop their clones from using their powers recklessly, and destroying reality." I shrugged.

"How did that give you a limp?" She asked.

"See, I didn't really want to, and Etrigan kicked me." She degenerated into laughter. "It wasn't funny at the time."

"Don't worry, after we report, I'll kiss it, and make it all better." She giggled.

"Ahem, you're next." Superman called from the doorway. She stuck her tongue out at him.

---

"I don't understand it." Flash grunted.

"What is that?" Dancer asked.

"Why we don't have clones." He replied, a bit distractedly.

"Because since we channel the speed force, ours will take a bit longer, if they even can. Looking for someone to race?" She asked.

"Yes, preferably someone that I can beat once in a while. I'm faster than Supes, but you and Kara are faster than I am. Therefore it's not any fun to race you three." He nodded.

"You didn't mind racing last night." She grinned. He flushed, seeming to disappear into his suit. She laughed.

"Yeah well." He trailed off. Unable to come up with a better solution, he kissed her. She giggled. "See, fast isn't always good."

---

"Dammit." Waller swore. "That's how many captured?"

"Eight." Hamilton replied. "The clones of Supergirl, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, Light, Green Arrow, Steel, Atom, and Vixen are all gone. The Fate, Etrigan, and Zatanna clones are reporting loss of powers. Pattern still will not hold, even with adaptation of the new nano technology. I recommend pulling back the Batman, and Wonder Woman clones, until the cause can be ascertained. The Superman clone now has full control of his heat vision. We'll be ready with the final batch in two days."

"Excellent. We'll launch the missiles in forty-seven hours. We'll knock that over grown tin can out of the sky." The General grunted.

"And the clones aboard?" Hamilton asked.

"They'll have to be sacrificed. We'll make new ones." The man shrugged. "Continue." He walked out. Waller glared at him.

"Hamilton? Which clone would be best suited for an assassination?" She asked.

"The new Booster Gold. He'll be ready in three hours, and I can have him suited in four." He answered.

"Excellent. I think the general has outlived his usefulness." She snarled.

"And so have you. Now." Hamilton snapped. The superclone's fist exploded from Waller's chest, gripping her heart. She stared at it stupidly for a moment, then collapsed. The twitching corpse vanished in a powerful blast of heat vision. "Congratulations my dear, you're helping to make the world a better place." He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Did I have to?" She asked. He nodded solemnly.

"Not to worry, you shouldn't have to again." He put an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go see to the clones." They walked away, the ring powers cleaning the blood from her arm.

"Yes father, lets."

"Yes, let's." A voice spoke.

---

Air danced around the clone, as it raced towards it's new destination. The winds didn't affect it, no matter how fast it moved, and this time it was fast enough to change it's location from earth, far away to Apocalypse. Darkseid raised his arm to attack, but the clone ducked sideways.

"Now just hang on one second. We want to make a deal with you." The clone yelped, ducking the strike.

"I don't make deals." The dictator replied.

"Even to destroy the Justice League. Excepting your son?" The clone offered. The megalomaniac paused.

"I'm listening." He leaned forwards, with a callous smile.

---

"Welcome, I suppose you're wondering what has been going on lately. Some of you are experiencing control problems, some have lost your powers, and a few of you have met yourselves. It appears, that the league is being cloned, one or two at a time. We are unsure exactly who is doing it." Superman spoke. Adam interrupted him by accident.

"Gee, maybe the same ones behind the Ultimen." He coughed.

"Would you like to give this speech?" Superman asked him.

"No, you're messing it up just fine." Adam grinned. Kara clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Thank you." Superman snapped, spinning around. Kara giggled as he did, but he ignored her. "As I was saying. We're unsure of exactly who is doing it, but our investigations are currently in progress. Until then, keep an eye out, and report anything strange as rapidly as possible. Thank you." He turned away, and glared at Adam and Kara, who had rapidly become involved in other things. "As for the two of you, I want you to go and make sure no one breaks into the Fortress."

"There's only a dozen of us that know where it is." Adam retorted. "How are they supposed to find it?"

"If they have my memories..." Superman answered. Adam winced.

"Oh, right." He took Kara's hand, and whispered a few words. They flickered, and vanished. Superman stared, and shook his head.

---

"Just what does he count as strange?" Booster Gold asked. Arrow shrugged.

"You mean other than Flash?" He grinned.

"Hey!" Flash laughed, as he walked by. The archer and golden hero laughed, before splitting off. Each had other things to do. There was a thud from a Lantern's room. Inside, we see Chi rubbing his head.

"What happened?" Lantern asked, as Shayera caught Deidra, who Chi'd been floating in the air, because she couldn't yet fly.

"I don't know, is the baby alright?" Lantern nodded, as he offered his hand. Chi took it, and stood. "I just suddenly lost control and my powers flared and threw me against the wall." He stretched a hand towards a fallen coat rack, and concentrated. "They're gone. My powers, they're..."

"Gone. It's alright, we'll figure it out." Shayera comforted him. He stared at his hands.

"No, we... There's not much time. Listen to me. My powers are hereditary. At the time of the death of the father, the powers are passed on to the son. Without the powers, we cannot hold ourselves together, and we scatter to the winds. I have a few hours, but at that point, it is too late. If I die, bring my wife and son up to this place, and protect them until he comes into his power." He collapsed.

---

A boom tube flashed, the portal opening into the middle of a military compound, deep in the desert in Nevada. The clone Flash stepped through, followed by Stompa. The general greeted him with a salute.

"I assume our messenger has told you of our plans?" He asked the other nodded.

"Yes, and my master has sent me to assist you." Stompa growled.

"Excellent." The general smiled. "Here's our intent."

---

Steel touched down just outside the entrance to the abandoned military base. Wonder Woman landed to his left, Batman under one arm.

"Are we sure this is the location?" She asked. Steel nodded. "Alright, then I'll get the door." She lunged forwards, intent on crashing through the door. Unfortunately, since the last time, it had been magnetically sealed. She impacted, and was thrown back, crashing into Steel.

"Hey Bats, you're the one that's supposed to catch your lady love." Batman gave him a flat stare.

"She'd have killed me." He pointed out. Diana stared at him. "Force equals mass times acceleration."

"So I'm fat?" She asked. Steel ignored the fight that began, and tapped at a keypad beside the door. After a few moments, the door opened, as the magnetic field dissipated. The two battling heroes seemed to notice that.

"A simple twelve number password." He shrugged. Entering the base, they could still see remnants of the last time one of their number broke in. Heat vision scored the wall, where Superman had destroyed automated turrets, rescuing J'onn. The doors opened, and two large robots appeared out of the wall.

"Want to bet those weren't here last time?" Steel asked, and charged. The sledge crashed through the arm of the first robot that reached for, as Wonder Woman crashed through the second, disabling it with a single impact. Steel knocked the head off his, and turned in time to see a third grab Batman. It didn't last long, as an electrically charged Batarang drove into it's side. It exploded. Sliding into the wall, Batman sighed.

"I really, really don't like robots." He muttered. Wonder Woman pulled him to his feet, as Steel smashed through a door. Behind it stood a brand new polished steel and lead door, studded with Kryptonite, both red and green. Steel swore, as his suit shorted out. "Electro magnetic field generators, they've disrupted the suit."

"I've got them." Wonder Woman charged the nearest generator, and slammed into it. Or tried to. For the second time that day, she bounced off. Batman caught her this time. "What happened?" She asked. He pointed.

"Magic, powerful, and pretty old. I'd say this place was built to keep us out." Batman replied.

"Wrong, keep you in." The Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman clones announced. The Superman clone was wearing a lead lined suit. Steel snorted, and twisted the handle of his hammer. One end exploded into a steel reinforce kryptonite spike. Batarangs flew both directions. The Wonder Women slammed into each other, rolling back out into the isle. A blast of heat vision glanced off Steel's armor, off the magical field on the near generator,back against the massively shielded doors, and over Steel's shoulders crashing into the clone. He reeled back, stumbling. A moment later Steel smashed into him, spinning him around. The kryptonite tip came back, and slashed open a hole in the suit. A second later, heat vision shattered the spike. Steel kicked him in the head, now free of the magnetic generators influence. The enhanced strength of the suit sent him sliding along the ground. Wonder Woman drove her clone upwards through the ceilings then out the top of the mountain side. The two Bat's mirrored each other perfectly, even using the same unconventional tactics to throw the other off. Until Steel's Hammer smashed into the clone, the fight was completely even. Batman glared at the armored warrior, but turned back to the clone. The clone was gone. He hefted the mace, and tossed it back to Steel. Wonder Woman's clone managed to get a hold of the lasso, and launched it at her. After a quick second's thought, she let it grab her.

"Two things you should know about me." Wonder Woman smiled.

"What are they?" The clone asked.

"First, I would never wear such a gaudy costume." Diana replied.

"And second?" The clone wondered.

"You aren't me." Wonder Woman replied. She grabbed the lasso, and it reversed itself, trapping the other in it's grasp. A flying fist careened in, to take out the other, but she vanished in a burst of red-grey light. Wonder Woman caught the lasso. Below ground, the Superclone vanished in the same manner.

"That was weird." Steel commented. Batman nodded.

"I think we'll need some magical support to crack this place." At that moment the communicator in his ear went off. "Go ahead J'onn."

"You need to get back here. All members are being recalled to the Watchtower. We have a priority one situation." J'onn's voice warned. Steel lifted him up into the air, and the teleporter pulled all three back.


	6. Chapter 6

"This is High father. New Genesis is under attack by Darkseid's forces indirect violation of our treaty. We are requesting aid from the Justice League until we can negotiate a new treaty with him." The message ended.

"Orion, and Mister Miracle, along with Big Barda have already been sent ahead. Every other available member will be sent shortly." J'onn announced. "Volunteers will be sent first. Adam, Kara..."

"No. I'm staying here on earth." I replied, cutting him off. "Something is going on, and I don't want to take the risk of it all going to hell while I'm away."

"I'm staying with him." Kara added. J'onn leveled a glare at them.

"Fine, remain." He snapped, and began to dish out other assignments. Once more we vanished in a flash of light. This time when we appeared in the Fortress of Solitude, we found ourselves face to face with three clones. Zatanna, Fate, and Etrigan.

"I see you finally found it." I smiled, Kara gawked at me. "When I bent reality, I added this to the memories of these three. They've come with one thing in mind, haven't you?" I asked.

"What's going on?" Kara asked.

"Watch." I smiled. All three bowed.

"The memories said you needed us, so here we are." The Zatanna clone snapped.

"You can relax, where you're going, anger will only get you killed." I smiled again. "You are being offered a chance to avoid oblivion. If you'd rather die..." I let it hang. All three shook their heads. I knew they would. "Good. Zatanna, you first of all I will send along. You'll be the only Zatanna there, with the full powers. Keep watch over the city she has sworn, and fame, fortune, and love will come to you." I waved my hand in a complex motion. There was a shimmer of light, and she was gone.

"Adam? What is going on?" Kara asked me.

"I'm repairing three damaged timelines. This is my only chance to do so, and is one of two real reasons I demanded to stay." I replied. "In three timelines, freak accidents, a result of pure chance have killed off these three. I'm using these clones to repair that rift. Etrigan are you ready?" The clone nodded. I gave him the information and sent him along. The Fate clone indicated his readiness. "In a moment, I want to pick your brain on something."

"As you wish." The clone didn't seem to share the original's distaste for me.

"Good. There is a spell I have attempted, but always failed, it is known as the Inferni Incantation. It is supposed to allow transport through flames, but so far I've only been able to produce a massive gout of fire. Do you know why?" I asked.

"Simple, the Inferni Incantation must be performed with the light of the moon at your back." He shrugged. I swore.

"My book said never with the light of the moon at my back. I suppose that would explain a lot." I spoke a few words and sent him on his way.

"There are a lot of things I still don't know about you, aren't there?" Kara asked, draping an arm around my shoulders. I smiled.

"And what fun would life be, without any secrets?" And I swept her off her feet.

---

"All is in place Generals." The dark-haired man nodded. "The launchers are in place, and we are prepared to destroy the stragglers." The two Generals, one of earth, and one of Apocalypse nodded.

"Then it is time to begin. Launch the attack." The earth general nodded.

"Yes sir." A few moments later, pairs of men in twelve bunkers dotted across the great plains launched missiles carrying nuclear payloads up into the atmosphere, creating great streaks of smoke and flame as they reached upwards to destroy the one thing that had time and again kept the earth safe. In the middle of the pacific ocean, two submarines launched missiles as well, these back ups to the main barrage. High above on the watch tower, an alarm buzzed, the second one of the day.

---

"Warning, ICBM launch detected, impact imminent, time to impact twelve minutes." The computer blared over the PA system.

"What's going on?" John asked, sweeping into the control room.

"It appears the US government has decided that we are too dangerous to be left to our own devices, and wants us destroyed. There are twenty four missiles racing towards us at this moment in time." J'onn replied. "All nuclear."

"Damn fools." John swore.

"Not as much as one might think." Shayera replied. "Most of the league is out of the watch tower, attempting to aid New Genesis. This is the perfect time to launch an attack."

"Classic Strategy." John nodded. "A feint. Want to be that Darkseid is getting something out of this?" The other two nodded. "Alright, who is left that can help?"

"Kara, Dr. Light, and Captain Atom. The latter two are up here, and preparing to launch. Kara is with Adam in the Fortress of Solitude, but it's in safe mode, so no contact can go in or out." J'onn replied solemnly. "Some of the Javelins are still functional after Amazo's attack, and they will be able to help somewhat. I'll activate the Watchtower's shields once you are away."

"They'll never hold against the attack." Lantern snapped.

"Then you must succeed." J'onn replied. Lantern nodded, and turned to Shayera.

"Go, and don't get killed." She grinned, and kissed him. "Or I'll kill myself, and come after you." She laughed.

---

Six Javelins, and three heroes floated outside the Watch tower a few minutes later. John had taken time to recharge his ring, so it would be fresh for the fight. As the massive missiles raced upwards, he lanced out with an attack. The energy blade sheared into the missile, and yet it didn't explode. He drew back, and the missile reformed where the hole was.

"Damn fools, they've incorporated the nano-technology into the missiles. Hit them harder!" A massive blast wave disintegrated the missile, but the others began to scatter. "Anyone that lets a missile get through, has to explain to Batman why he has to build another Watchtower!" Energy blasts, both from Light and Atom, as well as the Javelins increased two fold. Farther down in the atmosphere, as the second sweep of missiles raced upwards, the lead missile exploded. Three, sleek black fighter craft, with gracefully forward swept wings exploded through the debris, swinging around and coming back on the new lead missile.

"This Halo leader to flight wing, split and strike, they aren't as tough as we thought." The lead pilot grunted into his communicator. The other two cut off, gattling laser weapons piercing the missiles they targeted with ruthless effectiveness, detonating them rapidly. One of the missiles reconfigured into three, each sweeping after a fighter. The leader slammed a missile off toward the lead ICBM, and then flipped and rolled his fighter around, firing at the incoming missile, guns blazing detonating it inches from his nose. Shrapnel scattered along the crafts hull, and severed both the main power coupling, and the reserves. He punched out as the fighter began to fall. The two wing men on the other hand rolled and dove towards the deck, breaking Hypersonic, and out accelerating the missiles, then pulling hard from the deck, causing the missiles to slam into the ocean, and explode. Both fighters exploded an instant later, when a second ICBM that had separated crashed into them. Two heavily armored cockpits bounced out across the ocean.

"That's the first flight." John reported over the com.

"The second flight is incoming in one minute." J'onn answered. Lantern sighed.

"I see it. I thought you said twenty-four missiles?" He asked.

"I did." J'onn answered. There was no more time for discussion, as the particle cannons on the Javelins fired. The missiles scattered again, this time separating into individual missiles, much smaller and more difficult to destroy. Two cut past the spacecraft, and heroes, heading straight for the tower. The Adamantium decloaked directly in their path.

"Not today." The AI grinned, the massive energy weapons coming to bear and tearing into the missiles. They exploded into debris and pelted the side of the hull.

---

Far away, in low orbit of New Genesis, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Orion lashed out the aircraft of Darkseid's invasion force. Heat vision cut through the wing and severed the engines of one, the explosion momentarily blinding even the Kryptonian. Wonder Woman wrenched the wings off of another sending it plummeting. Cannon blasts from the surface of the planet tore into the massive space armada that was returning fire along the planets surface. Higher up, energy blasts flared back and forth some from the lesser guns of the ships, some from the heroes attacking them. The ground battle raged between the heroes, the warriors of New Genesis, and the tanks and soldiers of Darkseid's armies. The battles raged back and forth, fists and weapons flying, detonating on both sides. A few hours later, the battle had reached a stand-still. Darkseid, and High father stepped onto the battlefield. A ring cleared in the middle of the ground, surrounded by heroes and warriors, both on the ground and in the sky.

"We can continue if you wish Darkseid, as before, you will gain nothing." High Father offered.

"So? I've already achieved my half of the bargain." He gave a flat, evil grin.

"What bargain?" Superman snapped.

"With some representatives of earth. I only had to distract you long enough for them to destroy your watch tower. In a few hours, the clones they've created will take your places." He smiled. "And when I break the bargain not to attack earth, I'll have my own little Justice League at my feet, to use to conquer the rest of the universe." He smiled wider. Superman's fist slammed into his face. Flash, Steel, and Wonder Woman grabbed hold to restrain him.

"Relax." The leader of New Genesis commanded. "So, you didn't wish to destroy us, not yet at least?"

"Correct." Darkseid answered. "If you've no objections, I'd gladly return to the conditions of our former truce." High Father stared a moment.

"As you wish." He nodded. The two shook. Superman gaped, as the remaining troops, and equipment left along with Darkseid.

"I can't believe you just let him go!" He snarled at High Father. The other smiled sadly.

"There was no reason to continue the fight. Now that we know he will be coming for us, we can prepare for him. Thank you for your assistance." He turned and they walked back towards their citadel. Clark watched them go.

"Let's get home then." There was a dangerous urgency in his voice. After all, he'd left his family on the Watchtower. The Javelin's left the planet, and achieved hyper space almost instantly. Orion had already arrived ahead of them. All were pleased to see the Watchtower intact. A shock greeted them a moment later, when a second one materialized in the same orbit, this one painted with military colors, and far more heavily armed. Lantern and Light, and the remaining Javelins were coming to bear as the second tower began to fire. Two buttons keyed his personal link to the fortress of solitude. The sounds that greeted him were very familiar, if not exactly the same. Kara's name clued him into who was there.

"Kara, Adam, get off the floor and get into space, there's a second watch tower attacking the first." He snapped, reaching for his space suit.

"Right, Kara's on her way, I'll be there in..." Adam trailed off. "As soon as I find my pants." He finished. Clark rolled his eyes, and exited the rear of the spacecraft. Particle weapons, both from the Javelin's, and the two watch towers greeted him as he swept out. He crashed into a turret, wrenching it off the hull, and flinging it into space. Heat vision lanced out towards the nearest gun on the second Watchtower. A moment later, Kara wearing an oxygen mask only broke from the atmosphere, and in a move showing a brilliant lack of tact, or tactics, crashed straight into the side of the second Watchtower, creating a hull breech. A Javelin docked a moment later, spilling it's cargo of heroes. Clark crashed through another half-dozen turrets, before he saw Adam rising from the atmosphere. Apparently he'd found his pants. The ship he knew Adam flew, oddly enough named the Adamantium, swept around from behind the second tower, firing it's laser turrets into the side of the tower. A moment later, a number of escape pods, all lead lined, burst from the side of the second tower, a moment before a blade of green light drove into the fusion reactor core. An instant before it all went up, Clark saw Kara and her clone break down towards the atmosphere, neither wearing an oxygen mask. Adam seemed to see it as well, and an energy blast slammed into both, accelerating their descent massively, as well as speeding them towards the life-giving air. Clark spun, and raced for the Watchtower.


	7. Chapter 7

Jez: 1) Because the missiles were expecting Lantern, not the fighters, plus the blast went straight through the center of the missile, without touching the weapon, as it flowed around the blast.

2) The missiles were entirely Nano-Tech, meaning they could simply reconfigure the entire missile for each stage of flight. Initial launch would only have needed an alternate fuel to get it supersonic, at which point the nano-tech would have configured it into a scramjet for the race to orbit. Once past useable atmosphere, it would have shifted to another on-board fuel for the final leg of flight. When targeting was confirmed, it could have shifted the entire missile into a single giant war-head.

3) These aren't conventional missiles, and would require very specific construction techniques, to avoid having it become another hive mother, as in Dark Heart, and so they'd only have had time to build 48 or so of them.

4) Missiles of this complexity would have been designed specifically to attack the Watch Tower, and wouldn't be bound by the same rules as standard missiles.

5) The fighter craft are UCS F-2 Thunderhawk ASF (AeroSpaceFighter) fighters. Inertial dampners mean they can run at Mach 20 without compromising the pilots, and they're using Halo crystal refraction lasers, which are designed for anti-missile work. Since the missiles were non-nuclear at that stage, they were used as singles, but for a nuclear weapon, they'd be used together in a triangular pattern to knockout the guidance, control, and engines all at once. That would make the missile drop back to earth, to be recovered without detonation. UCS Halo flights were created around the principles of stopping nuclear ICBM's from reaching targets.

6) They would simply have been taking targeting data from the Javelin's.

7) The missiles may only have been a distraction to drain Lantern before the fight they knew was coming.

8) No, I meant instead of a full space suit.

9) The asssumption would be to hit on the trailing side, since like the other league heroes, she doesn't want to kill anyone.

10) With an airlock, since that kind of debris would have caused a second hull breach on the Javelin.

11) Yes, he would have communicated that he was going to.

12) In theory, he'd have been too busy dealing with the opposing Tower itself to keep watch on who was heading for the escape pods. As for herding them together, they were all headed for the same location, and he could have relied on lesser heroes stationed planetside to do that for him.

13) I understand, but since this is near-orbit combat, rather than true deep-space combat. The difference is near-orbit has a gravitic down reference, since we're so close to earth.

---

"This has to be the worst day I've had in a long time." Fate complained. Zatanna laughed. Amazo stared impassively. "I have not encountered magic this old, or this powerful in many years." He sighed.

"I have managed to disrupt the electromagnetic field before the doors, but the seal on the door itself is a combination of both magic and science, that I cannot touch." Amazo reported.

"I'm just lost. I not entirely sure why I'm here, and Etrigan is not." Zatanna sighed. Fate looked at her, the emotionless mask somehow conveying a shrug, even though his shoulders didn't so much as twitch.

"Jason Blood and Etrigan are the same being, but they can't be one being all the time." Fate replied to the question that was not. "Perhaps your magic can see what mine cannot."

"I'll give it a shot." Zatanna lifted her arms, and spoke, slowly and carefully, enunciating each word. "Wohs em eht eno ohw tsac uoy." She commanded. The air shimmered, forming into the image of a heavily robed man, whose features were not clear at first, but became instantly recognizable.

"Faust." The two magician's reacted as one. Amazo waited patiently for an explanation. Fate turned to him to explain, as Zatanna began to speak incredibly fast.

"Faust is an ancient, and powerful magician. I have battled him before, and each time, we have come to a standstill. I believe with Zatanna assisting me, we can stop him for good this time." Fate explained. "Will you keep a watch for him?" Amazo nodded. "Thank you." Then he to launched into a monologue of spells. Time seemed to not pass at all as the two worked. Amazo watched on every frequency he could at once, keeping an eye out in every possible sense of the word. The two spells they were casting came to a single apex, two great maelstroms of energy whirling in a singe glorious one. They ended with the same word, spoken forwards by Fate, and backwards by Zatanna. The combined effect was exactly as intended.

"Backlash."

"Hsalkcab."

The two words blended as one, and the energy lanced into the magical force shield around the magnetic generator. They collided, and reality seemed to swallow itself for a second, then snap back. It was only Amazo's Telekinetic intervention that kept the cave from collapsing in on them, energy flared in the air, as he melded the rubble back into a single solid piece, arched and curved, keeping the mountain from dropping on them.

"The Seal has shifted now to only magnetic. I cannot approach closer until the Kryptonite is weakened, since even I am not invulnerable to the mix of the two radiations." Amazo sighed. "The magnetics are down."

"Then I'll deal with the Kryptonite." Zatanna smiled. "Der etinotpryk become neerg etinotpryk." She spoke. The red Kryptonite shimmered, and turned green. Amazo confirmed that it was on the same frequency. Fate chuckled dryly.

"Lead and steel, contrasts of soft and hard, become as one, joined in heat, and cold." There was flare, as the door glowed first cherry red, as if heated in a forge, then frosted over, turning brittle. Zatanna scooped a rock from the ground, and tossed it. The door shattered. Revealed behind it as they floated forwards over the shards, was a massive underground cloning facility, sixty some odd empty tubes sitting open along the wall, some still dripping with fluid. A pile of fine ash lay in a corner.

"That ash has traces of the DNA associated with the woman known as Amanda Waller." Amazo reported after a moment's examination.

"Amazing revelation my friend." Faust smiled, stepping from the shadows. He was wearing blood-red robes. Two other Fausts, one in blue, the other in green, appeared beside him. "I have long sought the secret of life." The Faust in green, to the left of the one in red continued. "This will do for a start." Finished the one in blue. Lightning lashed out from the three, but Amazo stepped in front of it, putting himself between Fate, and Zatanna, and the lightning. There was silver flare, as he absorbed it. The Fausts swore in unison. Zatanna stepped to the left.

"Sebor ot sekans." The blue robed Faust instantly found himself wearing robes made of Blue Racer snakes. Not quite what Zatanna intended, but more than startling enough to stop him from attacking again. Fate on the other hand, simply nailed the green robed Faust with an energy blast. Amazo stared at the red robed Faust for a moment.

"Maybe a game of chess?" He suggested. The other stared him. He stared a split second too long, as a massive steel beam wrenched from the wall crashed into the back of his head. "Checkmate." Amazo smiled. An instant later, he realized what he'd done, having generated a mouth, and facial features in order to do so, without consciously commanding it. Perhaps a subconscious mind was developing? It was at once an interesting, and disturbing though. Several million volts of electricity running into his body caused him to refocus on the fallen Faust, who was now recovering.

"Checkmate this!" He hissed, and unleashed a blast of energy, intending to rend Amazo molecule from molecule. Amazo didn't so much as twitch, creating a barrier of telekinetic energy, formed of a single molecule.

"In all my travels, I did not have a chance to study such an excellent specimen for absolute stupidity, I think I shall study you." Amazo replied, reaching out, and lifting Faust from the ground. A moment later, an energy bubble appeared, and Faust's own blast was reflected back on him. It didn't kill him, because it's source of magic was cut off, instead it knocked him unconscious, back against the rear of the bubble.

Zatanna's Faust on the other hand, reached out, with his magic, and tossed a glass tube at her, attempting to trap her within it. She lashed out with her right arm, steel shards shattering the glass, and all joining to strike her opponent. He dropped the tube, and raised a wall of flames. The shards melted beneath it, but she smiled. "Semalf ta ym dnammoc!" The wall of fire bent around towards the Faust, and he found himself unable to quench them, as they formed a cage around him. After another few moments, the smoke and intense heat over came him. Zatanna stretched the flames into rope, wrapping him in them. After a moment of thought, she blindfolded him as well.

Fate however, had a slightly different challenge with his Faust. After the initial blast, the green robed magician vanished into invisibility. Fate scanned the air about him, but there was so much magical energy that he couldn't distinguish his opponent. A blast of energy lashed out at him, and he countered, missing violently. A bank of computers exploded. The heat from them made him slide back, but also gave him an idea. His vision shifted into the infrared, and he saw the man. Ice crackled from his hands, freezing the air, then forming around his opponent. Immobilized, the green robed Faust shimmered back into sight, and jerked at the ice.

"All league members, report to the following co-ordinates, priority Zero." J'onn's voice flared in the ears of Fate and Zatanna, relaying the location. Fate turned to Amazo.

"Will you remain, and keep watch over these three until we return?" Fate asked. Amazo nodded. Fate floated close to Zatanna, and they vanished through the Ankh shaped gateway. Amazo turned to the green robed Faust, who was swearing at the ice.

"A game of chess?" He offered. Faust stared, and sighed.

"I suppose." He grunted. Exactly where Amazo produced the set from, he didn't want to know.

---

As Superman descended into the Chaos of battle, he saw that every league member had been cloned, with the single exception of Adam, who was doing his best to fend off the Clones of the few heroes who had not yet arrived, namely Man-hunter, and oddly enough, Flash and Dancer. The clones were circling him. Superman was distracted from his observation, by a blast of heat vision. He rolled in air, and came up just in time to catch a fist from his clone across the jaw. The massive battle raged on for hours, some heroes and clones dropping out of the fight, and then rejoining later, some not at all. The fighting was pretty even, until Batman fell in a blast of unfriendly fire. His clone swung, and ganged up on Red Tornado. Instead of being destroyed again, he retreated. This freed his clone to battle others. The tide turned rapidly in favor of the clones. The events that brought about the end of the battle, happened remarkably fast. The Arrow clone smashed his bow over Green Arrow's head, knocking him out and to the ground. He picked up the original's bow, and spun around, drawing an arrow unlike any other in the world. Tipped with a Red Kryptonite head, it had one purpose. To kill Supergirl. Standing over the fallen Steel clone, having already trampled Tea beneath her heels, Supergirl was unaware when the clone fired the Arrow. Only one person was close enough to see the fatal shot, and stop it. I lunged across the ten feet of intervening space, at the same instant the arrow leapt from the bow.

"Look out!" I screamed in warning. She spun around as I felt the arrow punch through my chest, and into my heart. I hit and rolled, snapping off the arrow shaft. She caught me before I fell the last time.

"Adam, no." She shook her head. "You shouldn't have..." Tears were forming in her eyes.

"I had to." I shook my head slowly, feeling death begin it's inexorable creep upwards. "I would do anything to keep you safe. Now run. I'm about to do something that might hurt you."

"No, I won't let you die." She shook her head. I smiled.

"And I can't let you die either. Tea, get her." I sent the mental call to the clone. She ripped past me, grabbing Kara by the cape behind her as she left. As I fell, I finished it. "FINAL STRIKE!"

---

Weeks later, after the last of the clean up had ended, and the grass had begun to grow back, Flash and Dancer, who had arrived late, were the only two far enough away to see what really did happen. But neither of them was entirely sure they could believe what they saw. Both said a great blue-green bird rose up in the middle of the fighting, and swept into the air, then slammed back down in a massive strike, energy spreading across the battle, laying low everything in it's path. The league members, with the exceptions of Flash, Dancer, Supergirl, and Longshadow, all were knocked unconscious. The clones, with the exception of Galatea, were destroyed mercilessly. Exactly why she was spared, when the other's were annihilated, is uncertain, though speculation abounds, some of it being the feelings Adam had for Kara, and others simply that they were out of the blast radius. Tea vanished shortly after the battle, and her current whereabouts are unknown, at least by anyone that will say anything.

The only two things that occurred of oddity, involved the two oddest people around. Longshadow's DNA was somehow stabilized, and with a bit of care in the infirmary, the other cellular damage has been repaired. The second, was the restoration of Chi'ambi's powers. Though it is still unclear what happened to them in the first place, the last ditch effort attack, seems to have given them back. Without a body to bury, a simple memorial plaque was erected in the middle of the Watchtower, to later be placed permanently on the wall. As for Kara, she's been Supergirl for over two months now. The only person she will even talk to any longer is Zatanna, and only then on earth. The last vestige of Adam's presence, is the Adamantium, which floats in high orbit, roughly half-way between the moon and earth silent, and dark. It resists all attempts at communication, and entry, replaying the same message.

"This ship is currently under maintenance." It's a feeling that Kara seems to share. An endless attempt to repair what was broken.

To be continued...


End file.
